Political funding reforms
(From The Japan Times March 13 issue)

献金改革で信頼回復を

At long last, efforts have begun to resolve problems related to political donations. Despite their divergent stances on this matter, the ruling and opposition parties have in principle agreed to begin consultations on discussion of issues related to political funds. Komeito proposes prohibiting political donations by companies and other organizations, including labor unions, and making politicians shoulder more responsibility in supervising official political funds reports — a view basically shared by Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.

The Liberal Democratic Party had been reluctant to launch the consultative body, saying that the Democratic Party of Japan would use it to distract people's attention from the funds scandals involving Mr. Hatoyama and DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa. The truth of the matter, however, is that the LDP relies more on donations from companies than the DPJ. For example, the LDP received some ¥2.7 billion from member companies of Nippon Keidanren (Japan Business Federation), Japan's most powerful business lobby, in 2008 while the DPJ received some ¥100 million. The LDP is not enthusiastic about barring corporate donations.

Nippon Keidanren on March 8 decided to halt its involvement in political donations. It will cease assessing the policies of political parties, which it began doing in 2004 and which served as the basis for deciding the size of its donations to each political party. Nippon Keidanren's decision should make it easier for the parties to reform political funding.

The parties should establish a system in which every movement of money can be clearly traced by outsiders, and it should be based upon transparency and simplicity. Such a system would boost the people's trust in politics. The parties should also discuss ways to encourage political donations from individuals while ensuring that wealthier voters do not exert a disproportional influence on the nation's politics.

政治資金問題解決に向けた動きがようやく始まった。与野党はこの問題を協議することで原則的に合意した。公明党は鳩山首相の考えと基本的に同じで、企業や労働組合などの団体からの献金を禁じ、政治資金収支報告書について政治家の監督責任を強化することを提案した。

協議機関は首相や小沢幹事長の違法献金事件の疑惑隠しだとして、自民党は設置に消極的だが、実際は自民党の方が企業献金に依存している。

経団連は企業献金関与の中止を発表した。献金先や献金額を判断する目安として実施してきた政策評価の中止で、政治家は献金改革がしやすくなる。国民の政治への信頼回復のために、献金の流れを追跡できる、分かりやすく透明性の高い制度をつくるべきだ。各党は個人金拡充を議論すると同時に、裕福な有権者が政策に不当な影響力を持たないような方法を模索すべきだ。